How to get on to a popular gym class??

[AliceRR]

I’m a member of a well known gym chain. I have been to various classes in the past but currently I am not quite up to some of the more vigorous classes. I keep trying to get on to pilates or yoga but even pilates or yoga class this week is full with 7-12 people on the waitlist. It is the same every time I use the app to check.

You can book a class for 8 days so e.g. today is Sunday so you can book on classes for today up to a week today. I can only assume people know what time the booking goes live for each class and then do it straight away or that the classes are just wildly oversubscribed and there are too many people for not enough classes.

WWYD? I am wondering whether to call the them and at least feedback the issue as there may be a demand for more classes.

I pay for gym membership and so don’t really want to pay extra to do yoga elsewhere but there has to be a limit to classes and some people are clearly more on the ball at booking on.

Maybe it’s as simply as getting up early to book on each class 8 days before 🤷‍♀️

David Lloyd is 8pm 9 days before (I.e. at 8pm today I will book my classes for Tuesday 21st). If I forget, I join the wait list as someone always cancels. It only gives you a few minutes to book before the option goes to the next person on the list.

I also got glared at in a spin class once for taking a regular's space blush never went back

I think this is really bad. It doesn’t surprise me it’s the same people who go every week as that’s been my experience with some of the classes I’ve been to (I used to do body attack and body combat a lot and some hiit classes) but if we’re all paying members then we have just as much right to use the classes

If I get up early and still can’t book on (like when I call the go surgery st 8:30 when it opens and all the appointments have gone by the time I get through) then I’ll be a bit more miffed

I need to work out which days I want to go now and set the alarm ⏰

I also got glared at in a spin class once for taking a regular's space blush never went back

I’ve had it where I’ve been on the waitlist for a class after work and then got an email about half an hour to an hour before to say I’m booked in but I didn’t see the email as I was working

What part of the country are you?
The nuffield I go to gets busy but as long as I go on the app 8 days before I'm usually ok. The only class you have to actually book on within a few hours of 7am is evening zumba.
Always get on the waiting list too as the nuffield I go to does have regulars but also lots of movement with random people each week. You definitely wouldn't be classed as 'taking up someone's space' at my nuffield.

What part of the country are you?

West Yorkshire

It seems to be a particular problem with yoga and pilates classes

I’ve been thinking of going to then for years and can’t get on except sometimes I can get onto the lunchtime pilates at the Leeds gym

I’m dreading it soon at my gym tho. A massive new housing development is being built on all the surrounding land to my gym. There is a sales desk in the gym and if people buy from there they get a years gym membership too. It is already horrendous to park there even tho the actual gym isn’t ever too bad. If it becomes the case that I can’t ever get a parking space I will leave, which I will be gutted about as I have been there nearly 13 years.

I often go to body pump and step and have never been glared at for stealing places. In fact Ive found people to be very friendly. By far the cliquiest and unwelcoming class is yoga, which is a shame because Ive always wanted to do it.

Don't just mention it to the receptionist you need to put your complaint in writing to the manager and the sales person, focusing on how there seems little point in you being a member when you can't access the classes and the issues with being notified about last minute cancellations.

At my gym you can book a class a week in advance (but booking opens around half hour before each class iyswim) so if I go to a 6pm spin class I can book for next week at 530.

At my gym you get fined £3 if you cancel with less than 2 hours’ notice. I normally have quite a lot of success getting in from the waiting list if I haven’t been quick enough to get a space.

At my gym full members can and do book their favourite classes as soon as the app goes live and then cancel if something comes up that prevents them going, so you need to keep checking multiple times daily until you get a cancellation.

My gym they fine you if you don't cancel at least 2 hours in advance. Not ideal if you get stuck at work, but it means people do cancel, rather than just fail to turn up. There's an electronic waiting list with emails sent for spaces. It mostly works. If I stick myself on the list I get a place more often than not. Could your gym do similar?

StrawberrySquash sounds like we go to the same chain! If I’m on the waiting list then I usually get a space maybe 2 out of 3 times, which isn’t so bad.

That reminds me, must book my spin class in 20 mins!

Sounds like they need to put on more classes. Given classes is what I joined for I'd be very unhappy if I didn't get to do the ones I wanted. With a private gym you shouldn't need to set an alarm for 7am 8 days before to get a place. That's ridiculous.

There's an electronic waiting list with emails sent for spaces

I think my gym does similar but there are often a lot of people on the waitlist anyway and I’ve never got one before for a yoga or pilates class. It’s hard to plan around that too sometimes. I just want to be able to book on.

With a private gym you shouldn't need to set an alarm for 7am 8 days before to get a place. That's ridiculous.

I agree. There’s clearly demand for more classes.

At my old gym, I was actually advised during my induction that I shouldn't bother with trying to get into Pilates as it was "too cliquey" so i would never get in.

They won’t put on more classes if they can meet their targets for member numbers without doing so, and save on instructor pay.

Often I join the waiting list at number 15+, and still get a place on the day. It's an early morning class and there are penalties for not turning up without booking so people do tend to cancel the night before if they can't face setting the alarm that early.

So I'd join the waiting list as early as possible and plan to be in the gym in case you get a last minute spot.

I remember going to a popular aqua class as my local gym. There were 28 people in the pool instead of the max 20 allowed. The instructor had to go and get the register and call out everyone’s name. If your name wasnt on the list you had to leave the pool - talk about the walk of shame 😂

Mac, hope you asked about the booking policy and complained.

Lelly, I wish my gym did that! One gym I visit occasionally does occasional “spot checks” at the door with a register, doesn’t need to happen that often to reduce people turning up with no place.

Hi , my gym does the same, releases the classes at 7am for example Mondays classes at 7am on the previous sunday . The only way i get my classes is to take my phone to bed and set my alarm for 6.50 book my class and go back to sleep if its weekend

If your at nuffield gym the classes go live at 7am but if you book and find that you can't go you have got the option to cancel and then somebody takes your place

my gym does the same, releases the classes at 7am for example Mondays classes at 7am on the previous sunday

You’re right this is what my gym does. I thought I could book until a week today but actually I can book now up to a week tomorrow (Tuesday)

I am on the waitlist for a few classes but it’s difficult to plan my week without knowing which ones I’ll get on

I still want to go through the timetable and pick one pilates class and one yoga class and then get up early (the day before I think) to book on

So I managed to book on as fifth person in the waitlist for a pilates class a week tomorrow - great! 🙄

This is DL isn’t it? Yes I put reminder in my phone when they are released. Ask the gym what time they are released ( they will happily tell you) and set your timer. Ours are released 8 days ahead, so on Sunday morning I can book a class for the following Monday morning. You have to be the first one there or you don’t get in. It’s just organisation, not favouritism.